Tag Archives: 90 points

Massaya Classic – Le Colombier Rouge 2021, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

16 Tuesday Sep 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


Medium ruby colored, with slight staining and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black raspberry, cedar, blackberry coulis, menthol,  coffee bean, dark chocolate, wild herb, and ripe fig.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are pretty grippy.  The flavors hone in on black fruit with iodine, menthol and oaky wood notes.  It’s a young bottle, which is typical for Lebanese wines- they have great longevity.  The finish is pretty dry and tannin driven for the first part.  The fruit notes end medium in length, leaving me with a slightly bitter after taste.  It’s yummy, but young.  It’s a blend of 35% Grenache Noir, 35% Consult, and 30% Tempranillo.  I would give it a potential 90 points, it cost me $19 and gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2035.  Salut….

Massaya Le Colombier Rouge

Domaine Durieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reserve Lucile Avril 2020, Rhone, France

09 Monday Jun 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,


The closer at the 40th virtual wine tasting was this CDP.  Medium ruby colored with a high viscosity (15.5% ABV).  The group found medium intensity aromas of black cherry, bramble berry, funk, blackberry, leather, green leaf and a benzene note.  On the palate it was dry, with medium (-) acidity, a full body, and medium tannins.  Flavorwise- it was syrupy with black raspberry, bramble berry, overstepped black tea and black cherry.  Slightly astringent, it finished long.  It was not my favorite by a long shot and only garnered 15 points out of a possible 20 on our tasting sheet but technically speaking- this $45 effort got 90 points making it a 3 star wine.  It has some cellaring capacity even though it’s currently open for business. My buddy gave it a perfect score but then again he was pretty cheery by the close and loves Southern Rhone wines in general.  A blend of 80% grenache, 10% syrah and 10% mourvedre.  Salut….

Domaine Durieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Reserve Lucile Avril

Fram Cinsault 2021, Citrusdal Mountain, South Africa

14 Wednesday May 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of cranberry, rhubarb, red cherry, vanilla, coffee, singed alder, and a slightly green herb note.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of rhubarb, cranberry, red cherry, and charred wood.  The finish is medium in length, slightly tart and very delicious.  This wine started off with a muted nose, attacked with really enjoyable red fruit and has a delightful structure that is very appealing.  This varietal is normally blended or used in rosé production.  Seeing it as a stand alone was a no-brainer.   Really yummy and worthy of 90 points.  I would drink it till 2028 with lighter meat dishes, the delicacy of this wine does not need a big fatty Ribeye.  For $17 a bottle, you gotta grab a few.  5 stars.  Salut….

Fram Cinsault

Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal

27 Sunday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale strawberry colored with slight staining, and high viscosity (20% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of chocolate covered raisins, Brazil nuts, blueberry compote, stewed black cherry, old railroad ties, and crushed/dried flower petals.  The palate is semi-sweet with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium (-) tannins that are fully integrated.  Medium (+) intensity flavors echo the nose but there is a definitive streak of alcohol that burns on the way down.  There’s also a mid palate bitterness and some old wood influence.  The finish is quite long, but unfortunately quite hot as well.  Alcohol does not normally bother me, but this one is incessant.  At $55, it’s not your everyday dessert wine.  It’s a decent drop but I can only go 90 points, making it a 3 star wine.  Pair it with something sweet or cheesy.  Salut…..

Quinta Das Carvalhas 20-Year-Old Tawny Port

Devocion Cabernet Franc 2020, Mendoza, Argentina

23 Wednesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Deep garnet colored, with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of green pepper, charcoal, black plum, blackberry, cassis, tomato leaf, funky mushroom, and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are a touch gritty even after a few years of age.  Medium intensity flavors of blackberry, black currant, black plum, green pepper, tomato stalk, and a smoky oak note but no sign of the funk.  The finish is nice and dry with the tannins still gripping whilst black fruit notes linger mid length.  It’s a nice drop and only runs $20.  I am more upbeat than others and will go with 90 points for this organically made wine, making it a 4 star effort to drink till 2029.  Salut….

Devocion Cabernet Franc

Benjamin Darnault Les Parcelles Grenache 2020, Languedoc, France

19 Saturday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Medium ruby, hinting to garnet, with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Grenache has medium (-) intensity aromas of red raspberry, baking spice, rhubarb, lavender, orange peel, and juniper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of raspberry, red currants, rhubarb, orange peel, and baking spice.  The finish is medium in length and charming- adding a point where the intensity of the nose lost one.  It’s had five years to meld and has done so nicely, a smooth mouthfeel and juicy red flavors without much intervention.  I am planning to pair with roasted suckling pork and sweet potatoes.  It gets 90 points from me and for $15- 5 stars.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Benjamin Darnault Les Parcelles Grenache

The Color Collector Gamay Noir 2023, Willamette Valley, Oregon

08 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Medium ruby colored with slight staining, and a watery sheen (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of grape bubble gum, violets, red raspberry, purple licorice, vanilla bean, spicebox and a gamy note once it has opened up.  The palate is dry with high acidity, a medium (-) body, and low tannins.  Medium intensity fruit flavors of red currant, red raspberry, grape bubble gum, violets, spice box and some vanilla and game.  It’s certainly a tart affair that refreshes, yet begs for food.  The finish is medium (-) in length and quite acidic.  This wine is interesting- not built like a carbonically macerated Nouveau nor does it have the structure (tannins) of a Cru Beaujolais, it has primal red fruit with high acidity and that telltale grape bubble gum note.  It’s delightful to drink and will pair beautifully with the baked Salmon I am preparing.  90 points from me for this $32 bottle makes it a 4 star wine.  I would drink till 2028.  Salut….

The Color Collector Gamay Noir

 

Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino 2019, Tuscany, Italy

24 Monday Mar 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


The third wine of our virtual wine-tasting was this Sangiovese Grosso that was a little one-dimensional.  It started off with the color- pale garnet, with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose gave us medium intensity aromas of anise, sage, musty leather, red cherry and orange peel.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity, medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins.  Green leaf, slightly unripe red cherry, leather, barnyard, and pencil lead all took us to a medium length finish.  I was a bit underwhelemed by this $40 offering, giving it 15 points on our scoring sheet and 90 technical points, thus making it a 3 star effort.  It may be in a dumb phase as it did open up on night 2.  We paired it with leftover pepper steak and mashed potatoes.  I would cellar a bottle or two for a few years and drink by 2030.  Salut….


Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino

Dona Maria White 2022, Alentejo, Portugal

24 Monday Mar 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


My tasting group kicked off this session with this Arinto from Portugal.  We tasted it chilled and then at room temp.  We noticed it was medium lemon colored with low viscosity (12.5% ABV).  The nose had medium intensity aromas of grapefruit, honeysuckle, apricot, nectarine, pineapple, sea spray, and wet rock lending it a touch of  minerality.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity, and a light body.  It was more tart than I was expecting with flavors of grapefruit, slightly unripe pineapple, honeysuckle, nectarine and apricot as well as some salinity.  The finish was rather short yet inviting.  I gave it 13 points on our scale.

The room temperature tasting was surprising.  Less intense aromas that kicked off with a wet wool smell.  Someone mentioned acetone- Gosh I hope not.  A more intense pineapple alongside lanolin, less intense honeysuckle, saline, wet rock and stone fruit.  The palate seemed less acidic but heavier in body.  Apricot featured the most with honeysuckle, yellow apple, and lanolin supporting.  The finish was more pronounced and longer yet I scored this one lower at 11 points on our scale.  Overall- this is a 90 point wine that I thoroughly enjoyed the following night, well chilled.  It runs $18 therefore I consider it a 4 star effort to drink by 2028.  Shrimp scampi comes to mind.  Salut….

Dona Maria White arinto

Domaine du Grand Montmirail Vacqueyras Mas Carre 2022, Rhone Valley, France

18 Tuesday Feb 2025

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


Medium ruby colored turning to a watery meniscus, with high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose of this Grenache/Syrah blend has medium (-) intensity aromas of blueberry, red raspberry, tar, juniper, licorice, charred oak, acai berry, and tomato stalk. The palate is dry with medium acidity, a medium (+) body, and medium (+) tannins that are a touch gritty.  Flavors of raspberry, blueberry, acai, tar, licorice and green notes of juniper and tomato stalk.  There’s an interesting astringency that keeps me wanting another sip.  The finish is medium in length and somewhat austere.  I kinda like it!  The heat is noteworthy on the back end unfortunately.  This is a delicious, slightly green wine that will pair nicely with stews, game meats or Duck breast.  It gets 90 points from me and for $25, 4 stars.  Drink till 2032.  Ps. It has opened up nicely with a bit of air.  Salut….

Domaine du Grand Montmirail Vacqueyras Mas Carre